MONTICELLO – Things were looking no better for Lake Freeman business owners and residents Tuesday as water levels remained well below normal.

As the Journal & Courier reported last week, the water level began dropping rapidly Aug. 1 as NIPSCO began to comply with a federal order to divert lake water into the Tippecanoe River to alleviate pressure on endangered, water-deprived mussels.

On Monday, Lake Freeman reached more than 23 inches below normal. Rain this week brought that number up to 18 inches below the norm by late Tuesday, but that's still not enough for a community that thrives on the business generated by Freeman and Shafer lakes.

Locals wonder: Where do you draw the line between preserving federal- and state-endangered species and crippling the local economy?

"This has got to get stopped," lake resident Judith Bowman said. "There are solutions that can be done to keep these mussels alive without draining all of Lake Freeman. We need to have somebody get on that and find out what the solution will be to help us out because we can't have this happening every two years."

The federal mandate was first issued to NIPSCO — which operates Oakdale Dam — in 2012 during a severe drought. But this year's drop easily trumps 2012's, even though no drought is in sight.

The water drop has translated into layoffs.

Lake Freeman's water level continues to be below normal to support endangered mussels in a nearby river.
Mikel Livingston / Journal & Courier

"I don't have gas pumps, no ramp, and at this point I've laid off four employees," Tall Timbers Marina owner Gary Creigh said. "It's really getting into our income level not to be pumping any gas."

Creigh and others are frustrated not only about the water level but by the lack of notice.

"Is this going to happen every year?" Creigh said. "It's devastating not knowing when it's going to happen."

Creigh said his phone has been a "hotline" as people seek more information about the cause of the drop. He refers them to elected officials and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which issued the mandate.

"The thing that still amazes me is we have people just finding out," Creigh said. "A lot of our people are from Chicago and Indianapolis. They're just floored. There are a couple thinking about getting lawyers and what they can do."

Just like during the 2012 drought, the office of U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita has been flooded with calls for help from Monticello residents. Rokita has a town hall meeting in Monticello scheduled for Thursday.

On Aug. 5, Rokita sent a letter to Daniel Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, noting the "severe economic damage and serious safety concerns" the situation is having on Monticello.

"While I understand this order was designed to protect a variety of endangered mussels ... we must take action by prioritizing the needs of our local economy," Rokita wrote. "One business has been forced to lay off twelve individuals, and a riverboat company may now need to cancel virtually an entire season of dinner cruises and weddings. Many other businesses that rely on the commerce, tourism and recreation along the lake are unable to operate, and gasoline sales at the local marina are continuing to decline."

A spokesman for Rokita confirmed that the office has not yet received a written response from the agency, which is in the Department of the Interior.

"The reward of protecting these creatures does not outweighthe economic loss and safety risk to the Lake Shafer and Lake Freeman communities," Rokita wrote. "I ask that you work with NIPSCO to quickly and temporarily suspend this order. I also ask that moving forward you reconsider the (department's) policy on this matter and ensure it appropriately protects the residents and businesses that rely on Lake Freeman."

If you go

U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita will hold a town hall meeting with constituents from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Brandywine/Best Western, 304 S. Sixth St., Monticello.